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CARL H. PLUMLEE INTERVIEW
OH 1063
New Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project
Montana Historical Society
Transcribed by Paul Verdon January 31, 2007
Introduction
This is an interview with Carl Plumlee for the Montana Historical Society and Corps of
Engineers oral history project on Fort Peck Dam and its construction. In this interview Carl
discusses his work as transmission line surveyor, electrical inspector, dredge engineer and chief
dredge engineer on the Fort Peck project during the 1930s. The date of the interview is July 31,
1987. It was conducted in the dining room hall of the Fort Peck Hotel. The interviewer is Laurie
Mercier.
Interview
PLUMLEE: Before I came to Fort Peck I had been out of university three years and I had been
engaged with the Montana Power Company for almost two years on the construction and
operation of natural gas systems, but then I found myself out of a job and I went back to Montana
State for one year of post graduate study, in which I chose instead of trying for a master’s degree
in electrical engineering which was my bachelor’s degree I elected to take a broader based course
in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, courses in economics and public speaking, and I
actually obtained a certificate to teach.. My whole objective was to broaden my base for getting a
job. So when that year was finished, the next opportunity I had was to do some surveying work
on the project that became Fort Peck Dam. If you want to go any farther back, it’s my school
days on a country school near Manhattan, Montana, four years in high school at Manhattan,
Montana, and then four years at Montana State University, then called Montana State College. I
elected to take the engineering course because there were just two basic options: agriculture and
engineering. And I had my fill of agriculture, having living on a farm where we just didn’t really
make it, even though the farm land is part of the best in the state, and it was irrigated but it was a
combination between the wars, World War One and World War Two, we had extremely low

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Interviewed by Laurie Mercier on 31 Jul. 1987 in Fort Peck, Mont., as part of the repository's New Deal in Montana/Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project.; Topics include his schooling at Montana State College; his work for the Montana Power Company; surveying; construction problems; building dredges; and living conditions.; Engineer; b. Carl Harvey Plumlee in 1909.

CARL H. PLUMLEE INTERVIEW
OH 1063
New Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project
Montana Historical Society
Transcribed by Paul Verdon January 31, 2007
Introduction
This is an interview with Carl Plumlee for the Montana Historical Society and Corps of
Engineers oral history project on Fort Peck Dam and its construction. In this interview Carl
discusses his work as transmission line surveyor, electrical inspector, dredge engineer and chief
dredge engineer on the Fort Peck project during the 1930s. The date of the interview is July 31,
1987. It was conducted in the dining room hall of the Fort Peck Hotel. The interviewer is Laurie
Mercier.
Interview
PLUMLEE: Before I came to Fort Peck I had been out of university three years and I had been
engaged with the Montana Power Company for almost two years on the construction and
operation of natural gas systems, but then I found myself out of a job and I went back to Montana
State for one year of post graduate study, in which I chose instead of trying for a master’s degree
in electrical engineering which was my bachelor’s degree I elected to take a broader based course
in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, courses in economics and public speaking, and I
actually obtained a certificate to teach.. My whole objective was to broaden my base for getting a
job. So when that year was finished, the next opportunity I had was to do some surveying work
on the project that became Fort Peck Dam. If you want to go any farther back, it’s my school
days on a country school near Manhattan, Montana, four years in high school at Manhattan,
Montana, and then four years at Montana State University, then called Montana State College. I
elected to take the engineering course because there were just two basic options: agriculture and
engineering. And I had my fill of agriculture, having living on a farm where we just didn’t really
make it, even though the farm land is part of the best in the state, and it was irrigated but it was a
combination between the wars, World War One and World War Two, we had extremely low